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Jun 18, 2010

It IS possible to train for a 5k in only 9 weeks! I didn't say you would be fast... but you will be there. You can train for a race, or just train for the exercise. I am training because I figure if I can run 5k's then I should be able to keep up with my kids, and anything else life throws at me. The program is called couch to 5k and it works like this, the first week you run short intervals. 30 seconds running and 90 seconds walking, 3 times a week with at least a day of rest in between. The intervals get long and more intense each week until there are no intervals left at all just running. For guidance on your runs there are mp3's available that give you a cue when its time to change speeds. It's a great program for anyone, even if you have never run before or since you were a kid.Search Amazon.com for couch to 5k

Since before I even knew I was pregnant with my second baby, I started to put on weight. It was around Thanksgiving so I thought nothing of it. Then I found out I was pregnant and so I still thought nothing of it. I went to see my Nurse/Midwife. I was telling her all about how I thought my blood sugar must be too high or too low because I felt weird all the time. She checked my thyroid. I'ts part of the standard blood tests they do when you first get pregnant. My TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was very high. When your brain think your thyroid isn't producing enough hormone, your pituitary makes TSH to tell the thyroid to work harder. I started the medication and started to feel worse. What I and my inexperienced midwife did not know at the time, was that you have to be slowly introduced to the medication. I couldn't get out of bed. It made me feel like I was half dead! I was not sleepy and I was not fatigued I just had no life in me. This is a common feeling for extreme hypo or hyper thyroid sufferers. Eventually my body adjusted to the medication levels, but it took a long time, until my last trimester. So, I gained a lot of weight. I never went over the recommended weight gain but it was more then I had ever weighed before. After the baby came I suffered from fatigue from previous months of inactivity. My muscles were so weak I could barely do simple exercises like squats or push-ups. Then I suffered months of postpartum depression. My milk supply started to dry up around 5 months. My baby cried all the time with hunger and was not thriving. So I put him on formula and within days I started to feel better. I was on an "appropriate" level of medication, according to the medical professionals. The sugar detox diet I started probably didn't help. (this was under the recommendation of my doctor) Then I started to gain weight again! It took me a few months to figure it out this time. I was counting calories, eating right and exercising and still slowly gaining. Frustrated I went to my doctor and had my thyroid checked and sure enough my medication was too low. Now I am the long road to loosing that weight again. But at least this time it is coming off and I'm not so tired anymore. Here are the symptoms of hypothyroid you may notice:

Difficulty in swallowing

Cool skin

Excessively dry skin

Low blood pressure

Significant fatigue not related exercise or lack of sleep

Chronic recurrent infections

Constipation

Brittle nails

Migraines

Mood swings of anxiety, panic or phobia

Weight gain

Acne and more

If you have some or all these symptoms (as many as 1 in 3 American adults have a thyroid condition) and your doctor has done a T4 or T3 test that is showing normal, you need to find a doctor that will run a full thyroid panel or at least a TSH test. Sometimes it is more complicated then just having low T4 or T3. There are many aspects to how your thyroid functions and effects your body. It is important to have a full picture of what may be the problem. If you would like to read about thyroid conditions in more depth I would recommend the book, "Thyroid Power" by Richard L. Shames and Karilee Halo Shames.

Jun 7, 2010

Fluoride helps remineralize the enamel of our teeth. Taking it internally, such as in our water supply helps small children to grow strong permanent teeth... Maybe... The government says yes, drink it and have strong teeth and less tooth decay. But there is an organization called the Fluoride Action Network that believes that fluoridated water is not responsible for the decrease in tooth decay. Indeed, it actually causes much more harm then good. They have a list of 50 reasons why we should avoid fluoridated water. The CDC could only give one reason for adding fluoride. Here is a summary of the 50 reasons. You can find the full list here.

The largest survey ever conducted in the US with over 39,000 children from 84 communities, by the National Institute of Dental Research showed little difference in tooth decay among children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities they found an average difference of less than one tooth surface.

In communities where fluoridation has been discontinued tooth decay has decreased.

Higher levels of tooth decay seem to be more prevalent in areas of poverty rather than areas of fluoridation.

The CDC admits that the benefits from fluoride are mainly topical not from ingesting it.

Fluoride accumulates in your body each day because only 50% is removed by our kidneys. The rest is stored in the body.

Fluoride is shown to be mutagenic and interferes with DNA repair.

The fluoride added to the water today is not pharmaceutical grade but rather waste product from the production of chemical fertilizers. They are not decontaminated and contain high levels of arsenic.

The government and it's affiliates will say that animals studies are not the same as human studies. True that we have different DNA (barely), but a creature is a creature. We are made of the same compounds as animals and we are susceptible to the same chemicals as animals. Proven on paper or not! Humans are complex and resilient and can survive under great toxicity. This doesn't mean we should subject ourselves to meaningless chemicals. Our bodies are the only thing in this world that truly belongs to us!

To avoid fluoride, drink purified or filtered water. Simply drinking bottled water is not enough and those bottles are destroying our oceans. (Also see my article about BPA from plastic) You can also use a shower filter and use all natural toothpastes. If you are worried about your kids teeth, make sure your kids are eating lots of vegetables and very little sugar and refined carbohydrates. It is better to add fluoride directly on the teeth through toothpaste. There is no need to subject the rest of your tissues and organs to fluoride.

Jun 5, 2010

Oregano is a strong antiseptic and disinfectant. It can be used as an antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal. Here are a few possible uses for oregano in your life.

For wart removal.
Apply straight, if it doesn't burn, 2-3 times a day for about 2-3 weeks.

For Candida overgrowth or infections.
Add 1 drop oregano, 2 drops Melaleuca (tea tree) and 3 drops lemon in a gel capsule, fill the rest of the capsule with a carrier oil such as grape seed or olive oil. Take 1 cap 3 times a day and avoid all refined sugars and carbohydrates, mold (cheese) and yeast (wine, bread). Take for 2 weeks and then rest for the third. Repeat as often as needed. You may also want to take a good pro-biotic. You may feel worse for a while the first week or so. This is called die off. It is common and is not harmful. It is the result of the Candida dieing off and the toxins it releases. Of course, always have the supervision of a competent medical professional.

For fungal skin infections.
Apply topically diluted 50%, several times a day. One or two drops at a time should be more then enough. Some fungal infections are internal and I would suggest the Candida cleanse above.

For Female Vaginal Yeast infections.
Mix one drop oregano with one teaspoon of carrier oil such as grape seed or olive. Apply topically once a hour for several hours and then once every 4 hours or so. If it burns, you can dilute it further until it stops. You can combine this with an anti- itch cream. If you have frequently occurring yeast infections you should do the Candida cleanse above as well as avoid baths.

For Antibiotics
Take 3 drops in a capsule, 4 times a day for 2 weeks. If it burns or upsets your stomach try diluting by adding a carrier oil to the capsule.

Warnings: Oregano is powerful. It can have a burning sensation on the skin if not properly diluted. Pregnant women should not use oregano. Only the purest therapeutic grade oregano should be taken internally and under the supervision of a doctor.